Staff-separator



(N0 Model.)

J. H. THWING.

STAFF SEPARATOR.

No. 583,664. Patented June 1,1897.

I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES H. THIVING, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

STAFF-SEPARATO R.

SPECIFICATION forming' part of Letters Patent No. 583,664, dated June 1,1897. Application filed February 19, 1897- Serial No. 624,273. (Nmodel.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JAMES H. THWING, a citizen of the United States,residing at Boston, in the county of Suffolk and Commonwealth ofMassachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in StaifSeparators, of which the following description, taken in connection withthe drawing, is a specification.

In the drawing like numerals refer to like parts.

The object of my invention is to provide a cheap, simple, and convenientarticle for the use of musicians, more especially for beginners, wherebya sheet of music may be entirely covered, with the exception of one ormore staffs of the same, so that the attention of the player may beconcentrated upon one staff at a time, or more, if desired, and will notbe diverted to or confused by the staff above or below the one which themusician is playing.

The invention consists of a cover for sheetmusic provided With meanswhereby any desired amount of surface of the cover may be opened orremoved to expose the surface underneath.

In the drawing formingapart of this specification, 1 is a music-rack ofany suitable construction. 2 is a sheet of music resting thereon.

3 is the frame of my improved staff-separator, preferably constructed ofcardboard or pasteboard and being adapted to fold in the center 011 theline 4, so that it can be folded like a sheet of music and thus occupyless space.

The frame 3 has two openings 5 5 therein, said openings having an areaslightly larger than the space occupied by the staffs upon a page ofmusic. The openings 5 5 are completely filled by sections of cardboard(J (3 (3, said sections being connected to the frame 3 by hinges 7 7 7,preferably of cloth or other tough flexible material and pasted orotherwise fastened to the frame 3 and to the sections 6 (3. In thedrawing one of the sections 6 is shown open, thus allowing the stall Sto be seen.

The cardboard of which the staff-separator is composed has preferably atinted surface to make the same restful to the eye of the musician.

Vhen the musician has finished practicing the staff 8, the section (3 isturned back so as to cover the staff 8, and the next section is turnedback to expose the staff underneath,

and so on until the whole sheet of music has been exposed to view.

I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the exactconstruction shown and described, as the sections (3 0 might be hingedat the bottom to the frame 3 without departing from the spirit of myinvention.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Let ters Patent, is-

A staff-separator consisting of a frame 3, with openings 5, 55, thereinand having sec tions 6, 6, hinged thereto, substantially as described,for the purpose specified.

JAMES II. TIIIVING.

\Vitnesses:

GEO. H. CUsHMAN, W. Seor'r MATHnsoN.

